‘THE WOMAN IN WHITE’

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 285, 28 August 1922, Page 6

‘THE WOMAN IN WHITE’

EVANGELIST AIMEE semple McPherson Mrs. Aimee Semple McPherson, the religious revivalist, who is well known all over the United States and. Canada, and is on her way to Australia, held several meetings in Wellington during the week-end. The power of this healthy, happy-looking “woman in white” made itself manifest at crowded meetings held in the Methodist Church in Taranaki Street on Saturday afternoon and evening, and in the Town Hall yesterday afternoon and evening, when sJio delivered the Word with enthusiasm and fervour. What is appealing about Mrs. McPherson is her extremely pleasant and agreeable presence, and the plain, homely way in which she sheds light on the teachings ofthe Bible. It was not for her togo into the intricacies of psychology, mental analysis, and the higher criticism of theological wranglers. She has a message for the world, and is so filled with hpr mission that she simply pours out her message, but never is she unclear or blurred. Her strong Canadian accent may puzzle the New Zealand ear here and there, but there is no hesitancy as to the formation of her phrases, in her lucid reasoning and her clarifying exposition of the Scriptures. . Mrs. McPherson believes that dry rot has got into many of the churches and its leaders, and that the whole world is crying out for a grand old revival of religion in the simple form of our forefathers. On Saturday night, she said that in America they were busy, oh, very busy, trying to popularise" religion by building dance halls, “sniokers, picture theatres, and tennis courts, but she believed all that sort of thing should be swept away, for the world was looking for peace and quiet. They were starting ar the wrong end. Her address on Saturday evening was a disquisition on the Holy Spirit—tho spirit that sanctifies and blesses all. It was the outpouring of the Spirit—the “dynamite of God’ — which alone could bring peace to and glorify mankind —the Spirit that had been made available to believers ever sine® tho Day of Pentecost. She. likened the beneficence of the Spirit to rain in a thirstv land —the cool, sweet rain which, falling on the bowed and perishing flowers and plants, made them stand up straight and clean and tall. Many of their so-called Christians were waiting for such rain, for the cool refreshing showers that would make them stand up straight and tall and clean before the Lord. And for that reason she said that the time was ripe for the good old-time revival bacß to the ffieat outpourings, when people did not ‘think it improper to say “Praise the Lord” and “Hallelujah,’ and to feel it in their hearts and live ft in their lives. Back to the times when religion was a real thing, and not. something to be shunned because it was “not the thing.” In tins vein the speaker spoke four-square to her large audience, and such was her winning power and frankness that she gained a big response to her every appeal.